how do you change the slip yoke on a driveshaft?

[rob020]

hey all,

im trying to change the slip yoke on my drive shaft, ive taken the clips out but it wont budge?
gregory just says to "renew the yoke as a complete assembly"? real helpfull

do i need to heat it up at all? hammer wont budge it

cheers,
rob

[shuggy]

forget that comment.. i now know what you mean. umm

so your trying to get the universal joint out is that right?

[amgis_obrut]

take it to a mechanic and get them to press it out

do you own a big vice ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGKX6kwKvSE

[EVL076]

the hammer and socket is usually the way i go about it

[rob020]

lol, yea, did this ages ago, did it again today cos one of the clips fell out and i lost a cup... oh well

[oldn64]

Ok, I have been taught different to what the video shows and potentially why you might have lost a clip and the cup. The whole idea of the universal joints being "pressed in" is that it is a interferance fit. The best and strongest fit is a tapered hole which the drive shaft has as does the yoke ends. This works well when pressing the units together BUT makes if requireing a different thought process to get them out. If you do as per the video then you will destroy the tamper on one of the holes as you push the cup through the hole beyond the tamper limits. This also means that the new cup might then turn in the shaft mount. Best way to keep the taper and get the uni out is to use the visa as a support, for your yoke and then strike the drive shaft. what this does is push the uni joint into the inside of the cup and drives it out the same way it was pressed or hit in. The turn it over and do the same for the opposite side this will then give you the option to remove the cups and the uni. Then repeat to remove the cups from the yoke.

Upon reassembly you then tap gently the cups in over the uni and insert the retaining clips. then give a couple of light taps as if you are removing the cups to centre and unspring the yoke and drive shaft this should then give free movement of the uni and not tight (will notice a difference if you compare before knocking and after).

Removal video looks something like this. This drive shaft has had the yoke removed first (probably for easier viewing via camera... ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU9aRWHXweU

Cheers

[amgis_obrut]

That blokes a little brootal on the uni, looks like he's a cave man trying to get food out of it lol

Did you see the condition of the shaft

[oldn64]

That blokes a little brootal on the uni, looks like he's a cave man trying to get food out of it lol

Did you see the condition of the shaft

ROFL, yes well I was showing the method not the shaft condition. Shaft is out of a 4x4 F150 so I expect abuse. At the end of the day when getting a uni out you dont expect it to go back in, so a little brutal is ok, besides using a socket and extension bar as a punch is not the best use for the tool. It is like using a ratchet as a hammer (yes have seen qualified trades people do this, not with my tools thanks!)

I usually tap the side of the shaft and yoke rather than the socket idea. Better transfer of the load and the first blow should remove the tension on the cup and the rest should drift out easy.

Again was more for illustration than anything else. Support the uni and drift the cups out the way they got pushed in.... ;) Oh and dont forget to grease the uni after you are finished, the pregrease that comes in the uni is not enough to run the uni long term, in fact more and more it is only to hold the needle roller in the cups for transport and fitment. The last set I got was not hitemp high presure grease.

Cheers

[rob020]

thanks guys, i developed my own method before i got any responses, i just got the clips out, put the shaft on the ground and hammered the uni either side of the ear till it fell out... i didnt grease it the first time, but the second time i had the brainstorm to put some hitemp in the cup... its abit tighter, but alot greasier... wish i thought of hammering the cups the otherway when done to put tension back on the clips... made sure theyre in there proper though